More Women Than Men Have Thyroid Disease

Women are much more likely to suffer from thyroid disease than men, U.S. researchers have found.

Researchers at The Mount Sinai School of Medicine said more than 27 million Americans have thyroid conditions, which result when too little or too much thyroid hormone circulating in their bodies. More than half of these cases go undiagnosed.

Although we are not certain why many thyroid conditions are five-to-10 times more common in women than in men, we do know that this is not likely to be a hormonal effect of estrogen, since these conditions can occur before puberty and long after menopause, said researcher Dr. Rhoda H. Cobin, who also is president-elect of the American College of Endocrinology.

If left untreated, thyroid disease can leave people at risk for heart disease, infertility and osteoporosis. According to the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists, there is a possible genetic tie between thyroid disorders and other autoimmune conditions, including diabetes, lupus and certain forms of arthritis. This genetic tie could be why more women suffer from thyroid disorders, Cobin said.

About 10 percent of women develop hypothyroidism, or below-normal thyroid function, during pregnancy. Although many recover after pregnancy, a few continue to have hypothyroidism for the rest of their lives.